The stats in this American League Wild Card Series between the Detroit Tigers and Cleveland Guardians are ones that you take a first glance and do a double take on how this series is tied. The Tigers have struggled with runners in scoring position. Detroit in this series is 2-for-23 (.087) while Cleveland went 2-for-3 on Wednesday, turning a close game into a 6-1 win.
The Guardians bullpen continues their hex on the Tigers, with 7.1 innings pitched of no run allowed, limiting Detroit to just one hit, striking out 10. Despite the three walks from the bullpen on Wednesday, they did not come back to bite the Guardians.
Spencer Torkelson, who took a foul ball to the foot yesterday, has struggled since the big home run back on September 20 against the Braves, he's 4-for-30 (.133 BA) with 1 RBI and 16 Ks. The right-handed thump the Tigers need has disappeared at the worst time. So in an effort to generate some sort of offense in this must win-or-go home Game 3, Tigers manager A.J.Hinch changed up the top of the order.
Parker Meadows moves from leadoff to ninth in the order, Gleyber Torres moves up to leadoff, Carpenter up from third to second and Wenceel Perez moves up to 3rd in the lineup as he is one-for-three against right-hander Slade Cecconi. Cecconi is 1-1 against the Tigers this season, posting a 2.25 ERA, allowing three earned runs in 12 innings of work, striking out 11. He lost his start againt Detroit in Cleveland so that is perhaps the only advantage that Detroit has against him.
The Tigers turn to Jack Flaherty, who will be making his sixth start against Cleveland this season. He is 1-3 against them with a pair of no-decisions. In 29.1 innings of work, he has allowed 18 hits, 7 earned runs. In his last start in Cleveland back on September 24, he allowed three earned runs on five hits, striking out six but the big blow came off a two-run home run off George Valera in the 3rd.
The game starts at 3:08pm on ABC. If the Tigers win, they will head to Seattle to start the ALDS on Saturday. This series has been frustating to watch but the key for the Tigers to win is to get Cecconi early. If he gets into any type of rhythm going as far as strikeouts go, Detroit fans will be in for a long afternoon.